This application claims the priority of German Patent Application No. 101 51 771.8, filed Oct. 19, 2001, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to a cover device for a gap behind a rear seat unit and a vertical partition of a motor vehicle extending in the transverse direction of the vehicle as well as a side paneling.
DE 195 37 768 C1 discloses a cover device for a motor vehicle cargo space in which the cover device is arranged between a backrest of a rear seat and a cartridge of a housing for a blind.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved cover device for a gap in the area of a rear seat unit of a motor vehicle which is easy to mount. The device ensures a precise covering of the space or gap and, when a cartridge carrying the cover device is removed, avoids damage to this cover device.
According to the invention, this object has been achieved by providing that the cover device has at least two plate-shaped elements, one of the elements being linked to a free end of a transversely extending cartridge for a horizontal trunk cover, and the elements being arranged on each side in gaps between a rear seat backrest, the side paneling and a transversely aligned cartridge for the vertical partition.
Among the principal advantages achieved with the present invention are that a gap of a varying width and length behind rear seat unit of a motor vehicle and next to a side paneling is for the most part closed off on each side by a plate-shaped element of the cover device.
For this purpose, the cover device has at least two plate-shaped elements. One element respectively is linked to the free end of a transversely extending cartridge for a horizontal trunk covering. The plate-shaped elements of the device are arranged in gaps between a rear seat unit, a side paneling and a transversely aligned cartridge for the vertical partition. With these plate-shaped elements, the gaps between the rear seat unit, the side paneling and the cartridge for the vertical partition are closed off almost without gaps so that, together with the pulled-out blind for the horizontal trunk covering, a surface is obtained which is closed off for the most part.
When the cartridge for the horizontal blind is not used and is removed, the cover device will not be damaged when placed on the floor due to the plate-shaped elements at the free end of the cartridge being swivellable about a first transversely extending swivelling axis at the cartridge and about a second swivelling axis arranged offset thereto by 90xc2x0 and extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, between the tongue and the plate-shaped element. As a result of this swivellability of the elements, the cartridge can be set down in an upright manner, whereby the elements can swivel away and are not damaged.
In particular, the plate-shaped elements consist of a finger-shaped tongue extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, between a side of the backrest as well as the side paneling and an adjoining rectangular cover plate between the cartridge and the rear wall of the backrest. Thereby, the gap between the backrest and the side wall of the vehicle is also closed, in which case the additional gap between the rear seat backrest and the cartridge is closed off by a narrow cover strip which is connected with the plate shaped elements. So that a swivellability of the elements with respect to the cartridge is maintained, the cover strip between the plate-shaped elements is separated with respect to the swivelling by means of a depression.